This invention relates generally to new and improved electrical connecting apparatus and more particularly relates to a new and improved bi-metal electrical connector particularly useful, by way of example, for electrically interconnecting an electrical energy source, such as a bus-bar, and an electrical energy utilization device such as an aluminum cell for producing aluminum from alumina.
As known to those skilled in the art, the prior art is replete with a multitude of different electrical connectors of a multitude of different sizes, shapes, and electrically conductive materials. Included in such prior art electrical connectors, as is further known, is a class of electrical connectors referred to as bi-metal metal electrical connectors comprised of two different electrically conductive materials such as copper and aluminum. As is still further known, such bi-metal electrical connectors are used to establish or provide an electrical connection between two dissimilar electrically conducting members which may or may not be of the same electrically conducting materials as those comprising the bi-metal electrical connector. As is still further known, such bi-metal electrical connectors are more efficient, suffer less electrical losses such as voltage drops, than an electrical connector of a single electrically conductive material when utilized to establish an electrical connection between electrical members of different electrically conductive materials.
An example of a known need for bi-metal electrical connectors is that of establishing electrical interconnection between an aluminum bus-bar and a steel electrical connector or terminal provided on an aluminum cell wherein alumina is reduced to form aluminum. It has been found that establishing an electrical connection between the aluminum bus-bar and the steel terminal by the use of an electrical conductor of a single electrically conductive material is unwantedly inefficient and suffers unwanted energy losses such as unwanted voltage drops. As is also known to those skilled in the art, a prior art bi-metal electrical conductor is known for establishing an electrical interconnection between such aluminum bus-bar and the steel terminal of an aluminum cell. Such prior art bi-metal electrical connector includes a copper casting which is cast in a mold either before or after an aluminum casting is cast in the same mold resulting in a copper conductor having an aluminum conductor cast about one end; the copper conductor is thereafter connected by bolting to the steel terminal of the aluminum cell, and the aluminum conductor is connected to the aluminum bus-bar such as by flexible aluminum sheets welded therebetween.
However, it has been found that such prior art bi-metal electrical connectors particularly useful for connecting the aluminum bus-bar and steel terminal of aluminum cell are unwantedly expensive and hence there exists a need in this art for a new and improved bi-metal electrical connector which is less expensive than the noted prior art cast bi-metal electrical connector and which is particularly useful for electrically interconnecting an aluminum bus-bar and steel terminal of an aluminum cell.